Dangan NS Parent Newsletter

• 8th & 15th May - Road Safety Lessons for All Classes provided by the Road Safety Authority
• 24th May - New Junior Infants Enrolment Coffee Morning 10am
• 26th May - School Tour Week (see below)
• 2nd June - Bank Holiday (School Closed)

Congratulations to our Second Class pupils who made their First Holy Communion on Saturday. It was a truly special occasion, and the children did themselves and the school proud. Ms. Wall was delighted with how well the boys and girls participated, and it was clear that all the preparation paid off!

We extend our sincere appreciation to Ms. Wall for her dedication and the effort she put into preparing the children for this important milestone. We're also deeply grateful to our SNA Maria, to Fr. Vincent, and to everyone whose support contributed to the success of the day.

We’re also grateful to Jane and the choir members who were able to attend and enrich the celebration with their lovely music.

Finally, a big shout-out to the Parents of children in First Class for their incredible work in baking the gorgeous treats and in preparing the hall and school for the class celebrations following Saturday’s First Holy Communion. Your time, effort, and attention to detail helped make the day extra special for all the children and their families. Your dedication and support are truly appreciated.

After-School Care – Expression of Interest

The school has been approached by an after-school care company, and—pending Board of Management and Patron approval—we hope to avail of their services from next year. I have been very impressed with what they propose to offer, and I believe it would be a valuable support for many families in our school community. For more information about this after-school provider, please see the link here ...https://www.sherpakids.ie/

If you are interested in this potential service, please take a moment to fill out the form here. The service can only go ahead if there is sufficient interest from parents.

The school will be conducting standardised testing this month, and we would like to encourage all children to ensure they are present on the designated testing dates so that they do not miss the tests.

It is important to note that these tests are just a snapshot of your child's academic progress. We value your child's overall growth and development, which is why we use various assessment methods throughout the year to gain a comprehensive understanding of their abilities. Standardised testing is just one component of this larger assessment process.

Many thanks to the parents who took the time to complete our Bí Cineálta Parents Survey. We received a total of 45 completed surveys, and the valuable feedback gathered will be used to inform our new anti-bullying policy. We are very grateful to those who shared positive feedback about what is going well in our school, as well as to those who highlighted areas where we can continue to grow and enhance our practices. All feedback is appreciated, and we remain committed to ongoing improvement.

Last week, students from 2nd to 6th class took part in anti-bullying workshops as part of our ongoing commitment to promoting kindness and empathy throughout the school. The children engaged incredibly well with the sessions an the facilitators were particularly impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, thoughtful contributions, and the high level of awareness around empathy and respectful behaviour.

A big thank you to the parents who were able to attend the online Zoom session on anti-bullying, which was held on the same evening as the children's workshops. Unfortunately, the turnout from parents was lower than expected. We understand that attending such events can be challenging due to work commitments and other obligations. However, addressing bullying and negative experiences among children requires a collaborative effort between parents, the school, and the wider community. It’s important that we all work together to create a supportive and safe environment for our students. We would encourage more parents to get involved in initiatives such as these in the future.

From September, Dangan Primary School will be implementing the internationally recognised KiVa Anti-Bullying Programme as part of our commitment to the Department of Education’s Bí Cineálta Policy. Developed in Finland and delivered in Ireland by Archways, KiVa is a whole-school approach that focuses on preventing bullying through education, awareness, and early intervention. All staff will be trained in the programme, and students from 1st to 6th class will engage in monthly lessons designed to build empathy, promote respectful behaviour, and empower bystanders. The programme also includes parent resources, student surveys, visible anti-bullying signage, and a dedicated team to respond to any incidents. We believe this initiative will greatly enhance the well-being and safety of all our pupils.

Please see information for school tours outlined below. The money for tours needs to be paid in full via Aladdin by Friday May 23rd. If your child will not be going on their class tour, please let us know.

Active Schools Week was a great success this year, thanks to the wonderful work of the Active School Committee, 5th Class pupils, and Mr. Kelly. The sunshine was an added bonus and made it even more special! From dance classes to athletics, rugby, and GAA, the children were all very enthusiastic and engaging. Visiting coaches all commented on how lovely and friendly our students were, and it made the return to school after the Easter holidays even easier with so many activities on the go!

Sports Day Highlights

Sports Day was a fantastic celebration of fun, teamwork, and school spirit. The children gave it their all in every race and activity, and their energy was contagious!

It was especially lovely to see so many parents come in for the parent races. We appreciate you taking the time to be there, and I’ve no doubt your children felt the same. Your support helped make the day even more memorable for everyone involved. Photos from the day can be seen on our school website here.

Following a fantastic performance at the Leinster Provincial Qualifiers, our pupils have earned a well-deserved place in the national final.

Well done to the boys and girls who participated on the day and gave it their all. A big thank you also to the children who travelled to support their classmates—your encouragement and team spirit were brilliant to see.

As a result, our team will now take part in the Live Final next week. We will be organising a bus to bring the competing children from the school to the venue and back. Parents of children taking part are very welcome to attend the event if they wish, but will need to make their own travel arrangements to and from the venue.

Details of the Live Final:

• Event: Fyffes Ireland’s Fittest School 2025 – Live Final

• Date: Monday, 19th May

• Venue: TUS Athlone International Arena, University Road, Bunnavally, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, N37 A3W4

• Arrival Time: 11:15 a.m.

• Finish Time: 2:30 p.m.

We’re incredibly proud of our pupils for reaching this stage and wish them the very best of luck in the final!

Thank you so much to everyone who is supporting our fundraiser. You are making a real difference, and we really appreciate your support. Our sensory pods have been

Some exciting news, every line in our fundraiser on Thursday 22nd May 2025, has a chance to win our Jackpot and has a FREE chance to win one of three exciting Summer Giveaway Competition prizes. This nationwide competition is open to all people who have a ticket in a fundraiser run by our service provider ‘Our Fundraiser’ and the prizes are €2,000 for a Summer Getaway, €1,000 for a Garden Makeover or 2 X Oasis Premium Package Tickets.

If you already have a ticket for our fundraiser on 22nd May 2025, you will be entered into the Summer Giveaway Competition. If you do not have a ticket, please visit our fundraiser website to join: https://www.ourfundraiser.ie/org/dangannationalschool

Previously Registered - log in using your mobile number and password and click on the ‘Play’ button.

Not Previously Registered - click on the ‘Join’ button and follow the steps, it just takes a minute!

If you need any assistance, please email to support@ourfundraiser.ie

To Win - at 7pm on Thursday 22nd May 2025 a participant will be chosen at random by ‘Our Fundraiser’ for each prize. They must answer a phone call within five rings and correctly answer the quiz question below to win a prize. T&C's apply

Which one of these months is in the summer? (a) July (b) February (c) December

Next week, pupils from 2nd to 6th Class will take part in their final Irish Sign Language (ISL) lesson with our tutor, Debbie. These lessons have been a wonderful opportunity for the children to engage with an inclusive and valuable form of communication. Debbie has been very impressed with the enthusiasm and participation of the pupils throughout the sessions. We are grateful for her work and commitment, and we will be sorry to say goodbye as she finishes up with us next week.

Well done to the 3rd and 4th Class boys and girls who competed in the Peadar Lehane hurling and caogie competition last week. They played Boardsmill and both teams did execeptionally well with the boys coming away with a victory.

The Cumann na mBunscol hurling and camogie competition is in full swing, with the boys taking on Kilcloon and the girls playing against Killyon this week. Both matches will take place at home.